1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wind speed and direction monitoring systems, specifically a wind warning system that sounds an audible alert upon detection of strong winds.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to use wind direction and speed monitoring systems to predict wind speeds associated with hazardous weather conditions. High winds associated with thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other sever weather phenomena frequently result in severe property damage, personal injury, and death. It is well known that advance warning of destructive wind speeds is crucial to minimizing potentially devastating outcomes. Individuals are frequently caught unaware of fast approaching and rapidly changing bad weather conditions. As a result, they aren't afforded sufficient lead time necessary to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and safeguard valuable equipment. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,554, issued to Carrell, discloses a severe weather detection apparatus for detecting severe weather and method of detecting and warning of approaching severe weather conditions is provided. The severe weather detector apparatus includes a barometric pressure sensor and computerized means for calculating the rate of change in the barometric pressure. By monitoring and deriving a value representative of the rate of change in the barometric pressure over time, a threshold is established and compared to the current rate of change in the barometric pressure. The derived rate of change is compared to a value stored in the device which reflects approaching severe weather conditions. Rates of change which may indicate the approach of severe weather activate a voice-enunciated alarm that announces the potentially dangerous barometric activity. The severe weather detection apparatus is portable and suitable for battery power and installation in the same manner as a home smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector. A reduced voltage ‘sleep-mode’ is included to allow the device to operate for extended periods of time without maintenance or user intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,276, issued to Grindle et al., discloses a system for monitoring the wind speed experienced at a particular residential location includes a roof housing with a cup-type anemometer having three or four concave cups attached to a rotatable vertical shaft. The cups resist the wind, causing the cups and shaft to rotate at a rate proportional to the wind speed. Shaft is rotatably joined to a dynamo which converts the mechanical energy derived from rotation of the shaft into electricity. Voltage from the dynamo is then transferred to rechargeable batteries which power the system. An array of solar panels is also utilized to recharge the batteries. The shaft includes a mark detectable by a photomicrosensor through which the shaft extends, allowing the photomicrosensor to count the number of shaft revolutions. This data is sent at fixed time intervals to a logic circuit housed within a display unit. The logic circuit calculates wind speed according to the number of shaft revolutions detected within a fixed time interval. An LED on the display unit corresponding to an appropriate Beaufort Scale wind classification is then activated and the wind speed is digitally displayed. An audible alarm within the display unit is activated if the wind speed exceeds a predetermined speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,738, issued to Hendrickson, discloses a wind speed indicator includes a series of spaced individual indicia provided on a member which is rotatable in response to movement of air caused by the wind. The indicia may take the form of individual dots spaced equally about the circumference of a circle centered on the axis of rotation of the rotatable member so that, when the rotatable member is rotated, the dots cooperate to define a virtual ring when rotated above a predetermined angular velocity in response to a predetermined threshold wind speed. Additional series of individual indicia, such as dots, are formed about succeeding smaller concentric circles and are spaced farther apart. As wind speed increases, additional virtual rings are apparent to indicate when wind speed has exceeded additional predetermined thresholds. The indicia can either be provided on an impeller which is directly rotated by the wind, or on a rotatable member which is rotatably driven in response to rotation of a separate impeller rotatably driven by the wind. In a preferred form, the components are incorporated into a system resembling that of a weather vane in order to simultaneously provide an indication of wind direction and an indication of wind speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,815, issued to Wittry, discloses an improved digital wind-speed meter based on a digital optical tachometer that may also be used independently to measure the angular velocity of propellers or fans. The improved wind-speed meter consists of a turbine mounted between two bearings and containing a polished metal cylinder with alternate reflecting and non-reflecting peripheral regions to change the light reflected by lamp into a light guide, e.g. plastic rod, which conducts light to the digital optical tachometer. The turbine head, containing a mounting tube may be rotated about this tube's axis to change the direction of the display relative to the wind direction. By changing the direction of the display in this way, the wind-speed meter provides easier and more convenient use than existing wind-speed meters when measuring the wind speed produced by fans or propellers, or the airspeed of wind-propelled craft such as sailboats and gliders.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,633, issued to Peet, II, discloses an apparatus for measuring wind speed and direction includes: a wind vane having a permanent magnet, an anemometer having a permanent magnet and a ferromagnetic member, and a stationary housing having radially and axially mounted reed switches. As the anemometer spins, the anemometer magnet closes the radially mounted reed switch once per revolution. This produces a signal having a frequency proportional to wind speed. The wind vane magnet rotates around the housing to a point determined by the wind direction, producing enough flux to keep the axially mounted reed switch closed. The ferromagnetic member is interposed between the magnet in the wind vane and the axially mounted reed switch once per revolution. This draws flux away from the axially mounted reed switch, allowing it to open. The result is a second output signal having a phase difference, relative to the first output signal, that depends on the wind direction. The direction of the fluid flow is determined by computing the phase difference. The housing has a mounting assembly including tapered, grooved mounting members, and a locking collar with a circumferential land to engage the grooves. The housing may be mounted at any azimuthal angle. Calibration compensates for the mounting angle.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D279,293, issued to Sutz, discloses the ornamental design for a windmill.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being: difficult to install/operate, limited applicability, expensive and/or otherwise fails to detect winds associated with approaching storms, and/or fails to provide users sufficient lead time to take precautionary measures to protect themselves from strong wind speeds.
What is needed is a wind warning system that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.